KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — Seven men and one woman were arrested today in connection with the murder of a Pakistani man in the Pulau Tikus neighbourhood in George Town, Penang.

Acting Northeast District Police Chief Superintendent Lee Swee Sake informed national daily Harian Metro that the main suspect remains at large and efforts to locate him are ongoing.

He added that the suspects, aged between 22 and 58, were detained in separate raids across the state early this morning.

"All those arrested include the shop owner, fruit shop employees, and the owner of a motorcycle shop adjacent to the fruit shop,” he said.

According to news reports, the victim was stabbed with a screwdriver by a local man at a fruit shop in Pulau Tikus yesterday.

In the incident, which occurred at 5pm, the 48-year-old victim was allegedly attempting to steal alcoholic beverages from the shop when he was spotted by the owner.

When the owner confronted him, a customer at the shop reportedly stabbed the victim four times with a screwdriver.